§ 41. Mr. T. JOHNSTONasked the Minister of Health whether he can give any estimate of the financial costs borne respectively by the National Exchequer, the local ratepayers, the approved societies (for expenditure other than 992 State contribution), charitable institutions, and private citizens in the alleviation and eradication of disease in any recent normal year?
§ Mr. SHAKESPEAREI would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the return of expenditure on Public Social Services (Command Paper 5025) which shows the desired particulars, so far as they are available, for the services mentioned by him to the extent to which such services are administered by Government Departments or local authorities. My right hon. Friend regrets that lie has no information as to the total expenditure of charitable institutions or private citizens in this connection.
§ Mr. JOHNSTONIn view of the extraordinary importance of all questions of the cost of nutrition in this country, are we to understand that the Ministry of Health find it utterly impossible to give us even the revised estimates from the British Medical Association or the General Medical Council, regarding the last parts of the question?
§ Mr. SHAKESPEAREWe can only give information in so far as we can call for returns.
§ Mr. JOHNSTONIn view of the extraordinary importance of the public expenditure involved, about £90,000,000, are we to understand that the Ministry of Health find it utterly impossible to get at even an approximate figure?